


Sunlight in the Snow

by Dirade



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas In July | Christmas Out Of Season, Crying, Dancing, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, M/M, Nicknames, Panic Attacks, Presents, so many nicknames
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:53:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22059628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dirade/pseuds/Dirade
Summary: Jack wants to do something nice for Bunny, so he throws an impromptu Christmas in July.
Relationships: E. Aster Bunnymund/Jack Frost
Comments: 8
Kudos: 86





	Sunlight in the Snow

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of the [Rise of the Guardians Secret Santa](https://rotgsecretsanta.tumblr.com/) 2019 exchange, for [sarsfe](https://sarsfe.tumblr.com/)! They requested Christmas in July and some hurt/comfort. Enjoy!
> 
> (Also this is my first time writing for this ship, or even really writing for Bunny period, so please don't judge my poor attempt at writing an accent)

July is a rough time for Jack. He’s not like Tooth and Sandy; he’s not meant to be everywhere everyday, and while he’s thankful for that, he also feels like he’s not meant to be where he isn’t needed. As tempted as he is to visit Burgess all year round, he tries to relegate himself to the winter months as much as he can. It’s not like he can’t control his powers - he wouldn’t cause a blizzard in July, but for so long he felt like if he did his job well enough, then maybe he’d finally get the answers he always wanted. Even when he had all but given up that hope, the habit stuck, and joining the Guardians made that habit come back in a vicious resurgence. If they thought he was slacking off and galavanting where he wasn’t supposed to, their fragile friendship could be broken before he could even defend himself. 

He’s been a Guardian for years now, but the fear still creeps in at the back of his mind - they let him into their ranks and they can just as easily kick him out. He has to stay on their good side, has to be the best, has to do his job, has to prove that he’s necessary and capable, or else he might be alone again. Now that he’s tasted companionship, the thought of isolation aches so much more than it did when he knew nothing else. 

So Jack really tries to keep to his designated areas. But this July, he’s making a trip back to where it all began to visit someone special. 

It took a long time for Bunnymund to finally ask Jack on a date. Jack remembers that moment in vivid detail: Bunny’s stuttering question, the elation of having his crush of bordering on three years ask him on a date, followed by a wave a doubt. Bunny was always teasing him. Bunny didn’t even seem to like him half the time. It was Bunnymund who had seemed the most opposed to Jack becoming a Guardian. Sure, Bunny had warmed up to him once they triumphed over Pitch, but Jack was always afraid that someday he’d push it just a little bit too far and all the progress they’d made would slide back to snide comments with no warmth behind them. 

Jack had been pining after Bunny for ages, but he’d never thought anything would come of it, and then Bunny had asked him out and Jack had barely been able to muster an answer besides a breathless: “Is this a joke?” 

He remembers how Bunny had recoiled, hurt and embarrassment written across his face. “It’s not a joke. If you don’t wanna go just say so,” Bunny had spat back. 

“No, that’s not what I meant!” Jack had rushed to say, his words tripping over each other. “I - I just… me? You’re asking  _ me _ ?” 

And Bunny had given him a weird look, the same look he had when he learned about just how long Jack had been alone. It was a look Jack had seen before, but still couldn’t quite decipher. 

But it had passed quickly enough, just as quickly as the first few months of dating. It was everything Jack had dreamed it would be - Bunny was sweet and attentive under his rough exterior. He would bring Jack the occasional sprig of flowers just to show he was thinking of him. He was down for Jack's wild adventures and a great cuddler. It was everything Jack had hoped it would be. Except for one thing. Jack was scared. It was always there, a trickle of fear seeping down his spine, cold as anything he could remember. He knew in some deep, private part of himself that Bunny would leave him one day. Jack would do something stupid, reckless, make some mistake he wouldn't be able to undo, and Bunny would remember why he'd hated Jack so much in the first place. 

Nothing Jack makes lasts. Snow melts under the sun, frost fades with the brush of a hand, and all ice can do is shatter. Everything he is, everything he builds, is destroyed in the end. For 300 years he wasn't enough. For 300 years he watched his every love and creation melt away. As euphoric as this relationship feels, Jack knows that those things haven't changed. 

So Jack is scared. Not that he'd ever tell that to Bunny, though. 

But that's why this summer is so important. He has to do something for Bunny, show that he's worth keeping in this relationship, and Jack has the perfect solution: Christmas in July. 

Jack has it all planned out. He finds an open field to set things up before Bunny is supposed to arrive. 

The air is warm, strange on Jack's skin, but welcome all the same. It's not the sharp, crisp winter wind he's used to. Instead, the air smells of greenery and life, sun-warm and sweet. It picks up the scent of the rolling green hills that surround this place and the wildflowers that speckle the low hillsides. 

Of course, Jack can't stand there and enjoy it for too long. There's a lot to do before the main event. 

First is the tree. When he was scouting for the perfect location Jack took note of the fact that there was a forest a few miles from here, and within that expanse of deciduous there was a copse of pine trees. 

Beckoning the wind, Jack flits over to take a look. A couple minutes later the slightest flurry lands him safely on the forest floor. He stares up at the towering pine before him, trying to figure out his best course of action. 

As much as he wants the extravagance of taking the biggest tree he can find, the task does seem a bit daunting now that he's at the foot of 20 feet of pure tree. Perhaps an older seedling will do - the teenager version of a tree. Jack begins to realize how little he thought this through, but he begins to search anyway. 

It only takes a couple minutes to find the perfect specimen. It’s about four feet tall, small enough to transport pretty easily, with well-spaced branches in a healthy green. Jack doesn’t exactly want to chop the tree down, but he can do the next best thing: digging the tree up. He gets to work. 

It takes far longer than Jack had originally anticipated. It feels like he’s there on his knees for hours, scraping his hands raw as he digs through the dirt. By the time he’s made a sizeable moat around the tree, his back aches. The air feels less fresh than it did before and more thick, making him pant as he struggles to take in a breath. He rests his hands on his knees, surveying his work. Maybe he should have just chopped the tree down. 

Just then, the wind picks up. The gust wraps around the tree and worms it's way beneath the soil, fitting into each crack and crevice until the roots are free. The tree lifts into the air, carried by his oldest friend, and Jack rolls his eyes as his staff flies into his hand and he too is swept off his feet. "You couldn't have done that earlier?" 

After making a quick pit stop to rinse his hands off in the stream and splash some water on his face, Jack lands safely back in the clearing. At his side, the tree comes down gently in a tangle of roots and dirt. 

Jack leans heavily on his staff, examining his work. Everything is almost ready. He flits around the tree to arrange the branches, and then it's time for the final touch: he taps his staff to the pine and frost spirals across the branches, bright and sparkling in the sun. Icicles seep down the edges of the branches like shards of diamonds, and Jack stands back to admire his Christmas tree. 

Jack lets out a sigh of relief. That was much harder than he thought it would be. His body feels heavy and slow, like he's dragging himself through a thick sludge of ice water. Or perhaps lava, given how he feels like he's burning from the inside out. He's not used to feeling hot, or even warm, to be honest, and it just adds to the exhaustion that weighs at him. 

The wind whistles around him, offering comfort, but the most he can do is cling to his staff and try to regain his energy before his boyfriend arrives. 

As if on cue, a hole opens up in the ground a few feet away, the dirt falling away to reveal a pair of rabbit ears twitching in the sun. 

Jack grins as Bunny emerges from the ground, already feeling reenergized. Bunny almost glows beneath the summer sky, the wind ruffling his soft fur. Jack can't stop himself from leaping forward, burying his face in Bunny's chest. 

Bunny wraps his arms around Jack, safe and warm as anything. For a moment, Jack finally feels like he can breathe again. Too quickly Bunny pulls away, looking down at Jack fondly. Jack smiles softly back at him. 

"Howdy, jackrabbit," Bunny murmurs, the gentle tone of his voice filling Jack's heart. But too soon that warm, full feeling expands into a swarm of nervous butterflies that flutter in Jack's stomach. 

"Hey…" Jack whispers back, pulling away, eyes flitting to the tree. Bunny's gaze follows. 

"What's all this?" the Pooka asks, nose twitching. 

"I, uh… um…" Suddenly this plan seems dumb. Christmas? This is Bunny, not North. And it's not like Bunny's even that into Christmas. The tree, the decorations: it all seems extravagant and foolish now, just like everything Jack does. But Bunny's looking at him so earnestly, and it's too late to back out now. Jack steels himself for laughter, pity, or just plain confusion. "Christmas in July?" he ventures. 

Jack waits, but there's no derisive laughter, no pity or confusion. Instead, Bunny smiles at him, bright as the sun. “Ya did this for lil ol’ me? You shouldn’t have, sugarplum.” 

Jack huffs out a laugh, part relief and part excitement. “I wanted to do something nice for you,” he insists, the wind sweeping him up to hover just above the ground. He nuzzles Bunny’s face before circling the tree, sweeping his hands out to show off his handiwork. “I decorated it and everything!” 

“I see that,” Bunny laughs. He extends a paw and grabs Jack’s hand, spinning him around until he’s pressed close to the Pooka’s fur. “But ya know ya don’t have to do this kind of stuff, right? Spendin’ time with ya is enough for me.”

“Well, you always do stuff for me, so I thought…” Jack falters, uncertain, and pulls away. “Unless you don’t like it?” He feels hot under the collar. Well. all over, actually, but that’s probably just the nerves, right?

“Course I like it! I just… nevermind. Don’t ya worry about it.” He’s got that face again, the one Jack doesn’t really understand. “It’s just missing one thing.” 

Bunny taps his foot on the ground and a ring of brightly colored flowers crops up around the tree. When Jack turns around to gush about how pretty they look, Bunny pulls a bundle of lilacs out from behind his back, offering them to the winter spirit. 

“See! This is what I’m talking about,” Jack exclaims, though he takes the bouquet gratefully. “You’re always giving me stuff. I didn’t even get you a gift.” 

“Whattya talkin’ ‘bout? This  _ is _ a gift, ya dumby,” Bunny insists, gesturing to the tree. 

“But it’s not like - ah, whatever. Just give me one second.” Jack rises up once more, flying about to gather some wildflowers before returning to his boyfriend’s side. The exhaustion is creeping back in. It was hard to even make himself pick the flowers, but he pushes through for Bunny. "Come sit," Jack says, pulling Bunny down beside him. Once they're both settled Jack snuggles into Bunny's chest, sighing in contentment as he begins to make the wildflowers into a flower crown. 

They talk idly while Jack works, and once he's finished he places the circlet over Bunny's ears. The pooka nuzzles him, soft on Jack's face. 

"I missed you," Jack whispers. 

"I missed ya too." 

They sit in comfortable silence for a bit. Jack feels like he could stay here forever, but soon enough the nervous butterflies from before rise up again. They don't get to see each other as often as they'd like; they need to make the most of their time together. What if Bunny thinks this boring, and by extension that Jack is boring, and that he can do better than some spirit who never learned how to socialize when the other person was actually reacting to him. 

“Wanna dance?” he spits out, too quickly, too nervously, but Bunny just smiles like he always does. Bunny stands and offers out a paw. Jack takes it, rising as well. The two begin a slow sway, nothing too fancy, as the wind rustles around them like a gentle music. It’s sweet and romantic, and Jack’s heart flutters as Bunny spins and dips him under the gaze of the sun. 

Speaking of the sun, moving is starting to weigh at Jack’s limbs, but he doesn’t want to stop just yet. Sure, it feels like he’s dragging himself through molasses, but it’s worth it to feel Bunny dance in tandem with him. 

"Hey, remember how I promised to teach you that old jig?" Bunny asks suddenly. Jack sort of does, something old and nostalgic and important floating through his head. But with the memory shrouded by a fog of sleepiness, all Jack can do is nod hazily. "Let me show it to ya now." 

When Bunny releases him, Jack sways, a sudden sense of vertigo sweeping through him before he rights himself, trying to pass it off as an excited wiggle. He really is starting to feel tired, almost sick with it, but he doesn't want to ruin what might be a great bonding experience. 

Bunny starts doing a complicated set of steps, jumping and bouncing as Jack struggles to keep up. Jack feels hot, hazy, slow. He can't concentrate. He keeps messing up, no matter how hard he tries. His body aches and burns, more than it should, really, but he tries to keep himself from panting and letting how much a little exercise is beginning to affect him show. 

The vertigo suddenly returns with a force, the dizziness catching him so off guard that he has to grab on to Bunny to keep himself upright. 

"Ya alright, mate?" he hears Bunny ask, but the sound is dim and distant, like a faint glow in a blizzard. 

"I don't…" Bright dots swirls through Jack's vision. He sways again, some detached part of him noting the way Bunny's arms wrap around him. "I don't feel so good…" Jack manages to say as black creeps into his peripherals. "I jus' need a short… break…" And with that, Jack passes out. 

  
  
  
  


Jack comes to all at once. In the darkness he hears his name, and then suddenly he's awake, gasping for breath. Bunny is staring down at him, brow creased with concern. “How ya doing, jackrabbit?” 

Jack swallows, throat aching with dryness. He still feels a little hazy, but he soon realizes that they’re no longer outside. “Where…” he starts, before dissolving into a coughing fit. 

Bunny rubs his back, cradling him closer. “We’re down in the Warren, way underground. It’s cooler here.” 

Jack looks around sees some of the telltale growth that makes the Warren so colorful, also taking note of the nest beneath them. He’s in Bunny lap, cushioned by his soft fur, but his body tingles with discomfort, sick and strange. “Feel weird…” he gets out, shifting. 

Bunny frowns. “I think you overheated out there. You’re burnin’ up. Didn’t you feel it coming on? Why didn’t ya say somethin?” Bunny’s ears twitch. His voice, soft before, grows sharper. “If you don’t listen to your body ya could get really hurt, Jack. And for what? A flower crown? A dance? You have to be more careful.” 

Jack cringes, curling in on himself. Bunny’s angry, Jack knows he is, and he’s thrown back to that moment years ago when it was his fault that they lost, his fault that everything had been ruined, his fault that the only people who could see him had grown to hate him; he couldn’t blame it on the Moon, it wasn’t a mysterious and silent force that made it happen, it was him that they hated because he had made them hate him. That moment was when Jack knew - he was never safe. He would always be fighting against himself and against his nature to keep people in his life. He’d managed it this far. He’d kept Bunny happy, he’d kept himself under control, he’d tried and tried and tried, but he knew he couldn’t keep it up forever. He’d messed up again, for real this time, and Bunny wasn’t going to stick around in the aftermath. 

Jack doesn’t know what he was expecting in the first place. Did he really think that some stupid Christmas would be enough to keep the Guardian of Hope by his side? Was he going to keep up this charade forever? And even if he had pushed himself to make this work, what did he think was going to happen when he inevitably crashed? That Bunny would nurture him back to health and neglect his other duties? That he’d swoop in and tell Jack how much he cherished him? As funny as the idea is, Jack doesn’t feel like laughing. 

“S - s - sorry,” Jack stutters, trying to get up. His limbs are too weak to hold him, though, and he falls back against Bunny. “I just…” He wriggles, trying to rise again, but Bunny pulls him back, pulling him close. 

“Where’re ya going? Ya need to rest.” 

Jack wants to fight, but he’s just so tired that all he could do was turn his face away so Bunny won’t see the tears rising in his eyes. “No,” Jack protests, whines, and he hates the sound of his own plea. “I need - I didn’t - I don’t want -” His words are cut off with a sob that wrenches itself from his chest, painful as his heart being ripped out. 

Bunny’s paw brushes across Jack’s cheek, but that just makes the tears come even faster, overwhelming in their strength. “Oh, Jack, what is it? What’re ya so worked up for?” 

Jack gasps, forcing air into his lungs even though it stings inside him. “I just wanted to d - do something n - nice. I d - don’t want you to be angry.” Jack takes in another heaving breath, trying desperately to breathe. It doesn’t feel like he’s getting any oxygen and his breaths are starting to come in stunted and erratic, aching as he fights his body. 

“Hey, hey…” Bunny soothes. A soft paw wraps around Jack’s hand, placing it over Bunny’s chest so Jack can feel the rise and fall of Bunny’s breathing. “I’m not mad, sweetheart. Of course I’m not mad. Just try to breathe with me, alright?” Bunny exaggerates his breathing and Jack tries to follow, even as the air whistles and contorts between his lips. “Yeah, that’s it, just like that, darlin’. Keep breathing with me.” 

Jack doesn’t know how long they sit there, but eventually he no longer feels like he’s drowning. He feels drained, though, tired in a way different from the hot slowness of before. “I’m sorry,” he finally says, not looking up at Bunny’s face. “You didn’t need to do that. I know I’m -” 

“Don’t,” Bunny cuts in. Jack’s heart sinks, but when he looks at his boyfriend’s eyes, all he sees is kindness and determination. “I know you’re gonna say somethin’ awful bout yerself, and whatever it is, it’s not true. You’re my mate, Jack. I don’t know why you thought I was mad, but you oughta know by now that I want to spend time with you. When yer sad, when yer nervous, when yer excited, when yer laughing. It don’t matter. The surprises, the gifts, that’s all nice, but yer what I really want.” 

Jack blinks in surprise, at a loss. “I… you… but I thought… you’re not… mad? That you had to… do this? I wasted your time…” 

“No, sugarcookie. Time I spend with ya is never a waste. Doesn’t matter what we’re doing. Is that really what you think? That I don’t want to spend time with you?” 

Jack hesitates, but that’s answer enough. 

“When have I ever made ya think that? I know ya were alone for a long time, but yer not anymore, and I’ll prove that to ya every day if I hafta.” Bunny smiles down at Jack, warm and… safe. 

Jack thinks of all the times they’ve been together, of the hours they spent together today, of Bunny holding him after nightmares and coaching him through a panic attack, and for the first time he thinks that maybe, just maybe, it’s not some set amount of patience that these moments are taking away from. Jack’s not going to expend Bunny’s generosity and love. This is proof that Bunny  _ does  _ love him, that that love grows with every hour they’re together. 

The idea is strange. It doesn’t seem real, and Jack knows that it will take a long time before he really believes those things, but for the first time the idea that maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t need to keep himself in check to be loved doesn’t seem too far-fetched. 

The thought brings another wave of tears to his eyes, and maybe he’s still feeling a little feverish (although probably not), but all he can do is bury his face in Bunn’y chest and start crying again. Bunny just cuddles him closer, whispering to him gently. 

“Love ya, jackrabbit.” 

“Love you,” Jack whispers back, hopeful as fresh snow. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed! Whether you were part of the exchange or not, this fandom deserves some love, so I hope this brightened your day!


End file.
